Expansion-joint.



' T. MILLER.

EXPANSION JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.20, I913. 1,163,941. Patented Dec.14,1915.

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I PATT @FFIQE.

Application iiled January 20, ra ls.

To all whom it may concern Be'it known that I, TOBIAS MILLER, a subjec-tof the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Youngstown, in the countyof Mahoning and State 'of Ohio, have invented anew and usefulExpansion-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in expansionjoints of the type which are especially useful in connection with steampipes.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a joint which willnot only comp'e'nsate for the expansion and contraction of the pipeline, but which will also be automatically maintained non-leakable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint of the characterdescribed in which the parts are so arranged that the packing may bereadily positioned or removed when ever desired.

With these and many other objects in view which will more readily appearas the description of the invention proceeds, the same consists in thenovel combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, the figure is a longitudinal sectionalviewthrough a pipe joint constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the embodiment shown, the numerals 5 and 6 respectivelydesignate the pipe and casing members of the joint, the same having arelative longitudinal sliding movement to take care of the expansion andcontraction in the pipe line. The member 5 is disposed within and inspaced relation to the member 6, and extending inwardly from the member6, at a point between the ends, is an internal flange 7. This flangesnugly receives the pipe member 5 and forms a guiding bearing therefor,and the inner end of the pipe is normally disposed in spaced relation tosaid flange 7, and has secured thereto a stop element 8, preferablyconsisting of a threaded ring. The stop or ring 8 and the flange 7cooperate to limit relative longitudinal move ment of the joint members5 and 6.

The outer end of the casing 6 is closed by acap 9 detachably securedthereto. Although this cap may be secured in any suitable manner, Ipreferably form the casing with a lateral flange 10 which receives aPatented Dec. 14, 1915. Serial No. 743,220.

plurality of cap-fastening bolts 11 or other suitable fastening means.The joint between the cap and the flange 10 of the casing is sealed by agasket or insulator 10 to maintain a steam and fluid tight joint at thispoint.

In order to automatically expand the packing 12, by steam pressure,against the pipe 5 and thereby positively prevent the joint fromleaking, I have provided a novel piston ring which is disposed in achamber 12 between the members 5 and 6, and be tween the flange 7 andsaid packing 12. In this instance, the piston ring, designated as thewhole by the reference numeral 13, is preferably of a twopartconstruction, one

part let being made of copper and the other part 15 being made of hardermetal, such as steel or the like. These parts or rings are detachablysecured together in ground engagement by means of screws 16 or the like.The ring 15 which is of the harder metal is disposed against the packing12, and the ring 14 which is of copper is disposed in position to beacted upon by the steam within the pipes so as to make a tight fit whenheated and under pressure.

In order to retain the piston ring in spaced relation to the flange 7,and also to permit of said ring moving away from said flange and againstthe packing, I have provided a guiding means therefor, preferablyconsisting of a plurality of bolts 17 connected to the piston ring bybeing passed through suitable openings 17 formed in the ring 15. Thethreaded ends of the bolts freely extend through openings 17 formed inthe cap 9, and nuts 18 or other adjusting means are engaged with theexterior projecting ends of said bolts.

In order to permit steam to exert pressure against the piston ring, Ihave provided the flange 7 with a plurality of ports 19 whichcommunicate with the interior space or chamber 12 and the open part ofthe casing.

In assembling this joint, the pipe 5 is first inserted within the casing6 and the stop ring 8 is secured to the inner end of the pipe. Theguiding means or bolts 17 are then passed through the ring 15, and thering 14 is then secured to the ring 15. The packing 12 is then insertedbetween the members 5 and 6, and the cap 9 attached to the member 6, theouter ends of the bolts 17 of course, being passed through theirrespective openings in said cap. In practice, it will be observed thatsteam Will pass through the ports 19 and bear directly against thecopper ring l l of said piston ring, and thereby cause the packing 12 tobe expanded against the Walls of both the members 5 and 6 andconsequently preventing the steam from escaping through the joint.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided an extremelysimple joint Which Will compensate for the contraction and expansion inthe pipe line; that the piston ring carries guiding means therefor, andthat both the piston ring and guiding means are adapted to be insertedor removed together; and that this joint is constructed to provide anautomatic means for expanding the packing to render the jointnon-leakable regardless of the amount of steam pressure.

I claim:

1. An expansion joint for steam pipes comprising a pipe member and acasing member telescopically receiving the pipe member and spacedtherefrom to provide an intervening packing space, said casing memberbeing provided With an interior flange closely receiving the pipe memberand having steam ports in communication with the passageway through thejoint, a cap for closing one end of the casing member and havingunthreaded bolt openings therein, an expansible and compressible packingmaterial confined in said packing space, a sliding piston ring mountedinside of the packing space and bearing against the packing materialtherein, and a series of bolts slidably mounted in the bolt openings ofthe casing cap and having their inner head portions interlocked andhoused Within said sliding piston ring.

2. An expansion joint for steam pipes comprising a pipe member, a casingmember telescopically receiving the pipe member and spaced therefrom toprovide an intervening packing space, packing material Within saidspace, a piston arranged to bear against the packing material andconsisting of a pair of separably connected ring members respectively ofhard and soft metal, and bolts slidably extending through one end of thecasing member and having their heads clamped between the two ringmembers of said piston.

TOBIAS MILLER.

WVitnesses:

F. W. CUMMER, B. E. BoWLUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

